Pakistan often finds itself in the headlines, whether for its leaders like Imran Khan, its economic challenges, U.S. sanctions, revenue deficit, ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, or its disputes with Afghanistan. Now, Pakistan has once again found itself in news headlines. Pakistan’s biggest international airport, funded by China, opened in Gwadar, Balochistan, on Monday after being delayed for months with tight security in the troubled region. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised it as a “shining example of Pakistan-China friendship” and a “game-changer,” while China’s Global Times termed it a “donation.”
Sharing a post on X (previously Twitter), Global Times wrote, “The new Gwadar Airport is a donation from China. It officially opened on Monday with its first flight, PIA503, arriving from Karachi.” On the other hand, China’s official news agency, Xinhua, quoted Shehbaz Sharif, who praised the airport as a “shining example of strong China-Pakistan friendship.” In addition, he also expressed gratitude for China’s support in constructing the world-class facility.
Bankrupt Pakistan’s Chinese-funded international airport to become ‘White Elephant’ due to…, Gwadar likely to face same fate as…
The first commercial flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), PK 503, departed from Karachi on Monday with a 45-minute delay, carrying passengers and senior officials. After a journey lasting one hour and ten minutes, it successfully landed in Gwadar.
The official opening of Gwadar International Airport, originally planned for August last year, faced multiple delays due to ongoing security concerns in Balochistan, a region frequently affected by separatist militant attacks.
The construction of Gwadar Airport, designed to handle 400,000 passengers annually, began in 2019, despite the project being approved as early as 2009. It took ten years for construction to start after approval and a total of 16 years for the first commercial flight to operate.
Gwadar Airport, constructed as part of the $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, is described as Pakistan’s largest airport. Spanning 4,300 acres, it is the country’s biggest airport by area, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. However, concerns have been raised about the practicality of such a large airport in a small city situated in an unstable region.
There are concerns that Pakistan’s Gwadar Airport could face a similar fate to Nepal’s Pokhara International Airport, which has been operating at a loss with its debt interest continuing to rise. Many fear that Gwadar Airport may encounter the same challenges.
When the Pakistan People’s Party government approved the project in 2009, the estimated cost was $96 million. However, a report by news agency AP reveals that the airport was completed at a cost of $230 million—almost three times the original estimate. This has led to questions about what would attract people to Gwadar and what businesses could flourish there after such a significant investment.
The airport, funded under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), was launched in March 2019 during Imran Khan’s tenure and officially inaugurated in October 2024 by Shahbaz Sharif.
Despite its inauguration, no flights had landed there until recently, prompting analysts and experts to dub it a “white elephant.”
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